


Breaking The Ice

by whiteautumn



Series: The Whole Nine Yards [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, M/M, Mentioned Child Neglect, Not Really Character Death, PokeSpe elements, RSE re-write, eventual tensaishipping, in which Ruby runs away from home earlier, mentor!Courtney, prequel to BoaF
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 00:23:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15829950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteautumn/pseuds/whiteautumn
Summary: In which Ruby runs away from home, meets a wild girl, a stone-getter/corporate heir, a leader of a questionably ambitious organisation, and a caretaker dressed in black and red. Not necessarily in that order, but who cares when all of them lead him back to the one person he never wants to face again - his father.The world is also ending, but that's none of his business.





	Breaking The Ice

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the first tensaishipping prequel to Birds of a Feather!
> 
> This is an RSE (technically, Emerald) re-write, but will incorporate loads of elements from the manga Ruby-Sapphire chapter as well. Most of the changes are according to my own headcanons and What-If scenarios. You'll see what the changes are as the plot progresses. 
> 
> Ruby's allegiances are more questionable in this (since he is mentored by Team Magma), but don't worry, he'll switch sides over time (when Sapphire gives him a good beating, that is). Steven is the Champion in this, while Wallace remains Gym Leader.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** Nope. Still don't own.

_Once upon a time, there was a boy named Yuuki._

_Yuuki loved Pokemon battles – his dad worked as a Gym Leader, and it was his aspiration to become just as strong as his dad. Therefore, for his fifth birthday, his father gifted him with a beautiful young Ralts who he’d name Ruru. Young Yuuki had promised his father to work hard so that she could become the strongest._

_He loved Pokemon as well. The way they moved, the way they could show off their natural beauty together with their trainers. Whenever there were Contests shown on the television, Yuuki would be glued to it, red eyes wide and sparkling._

_His father would frown at young Yuuki, but he never minded. He would then pledge to himself that he would make Ruru the smartest of all Pokemon, because even as a youngling, Ruru had showed signs of being able to understand and execute Yuuki’s clumsily given orders with calm and grace._

_One day, when he was six, he was introduced to a friend of his father’s, a Professor Birch. With Professor Birch came his daughter, Sapphire Birch._

_Sapphire was a curious girl. She was always dressed up in pretty dresses that Yuuki envisioned would look great on Ruru. She shared Yuuki’s love for Contests but did not share his interest in Pokemon battles. This made her a difficult person to get along with – but Yuuki didn’t mind. It was like talking to a nicer version of his father – one who was female, his age and liked Contests instead of battling._

_The brunette would compliment Ruby’s eyes, saying that she could see them shining brightly on the stage with his Pokemon. That would always make Ruby very happy, since he’d never get praises from his father regarding anything other than his battling skills._

_It happened on a fine morning. They – his parents and he – were visiting Professor Birch in a laboratory in Johto. Sapphire wasn’t there, but in hindsight, it had been indeed for the best that she wasn’t anywhere in the area when it had occurred._

_Yuuki had been allowed to wander around the place, as long as he kept away from machines, did not touch anything and did not enter any doors labeled with glaring red signs. He was a bright and obedient child, so he understood the importance of listening to the adults._

_So Yuuki went around, exploring the laboratory, marveling at all the experiments that were taking place in complicated-looking machinery. He passed by a door labeled in red, and felt a burning curiosity take over his being. He knew he wasn’t supposed to open any doors with those labels, but there was this soft beckoning he felt from beyond the door._

_Asking him to describe the feeling later on, he would comment that it felt like a caged beast calling out to him gently for him to free it._

_That was exactly what Yuuki did. He pushed the door open and was marveled by the bright green sphere-like object that rested in a gigantic glass container._

_Any other children would have been scared, but Yuuki felt – knew? He wasn’t sure how either – that the creature would not harm him. Instinctively, he stepped forward, and placed his hands onto the cold glass, and gasped as he saw the sphere glow brighter, cracks forming on the surface of the glass._

_Holding his breath, he took a step back and watched in surprise as the cracks multiplied across the glass’s shiny surface, and the sphere begin to morph into the shape of a large Dragon-type Pokemon. A loud sound in the laboratory went off then, the red coloured alarms flashing in the room, but Yuuki didn’t pay attention to any of that._

_He could only stare, mesmerised. He’s never seen a Dragon-type before, and the Pokemon in front of him was majestic as it used its tail to break free of its containment. A sense of panic seized Yuuki as he realized that he wasn’t supposed to touch anything!_

_Just as the Dragon-type broke free of the glass container completely, a loud crash sounded from his left. It took Yuuki a moment to realise that another Dragon-type Pokemon – this one had a half-crescent shape like wing – had broken into the laboratory, sending pieces of plaster, metal and concrete flying everywhere._

_That was all he knew, for a piece of the sharp metal from the broken wall had flown towards him, hitting his head and sending him flying into the side of the nearest machine._

_Yuuki didn’t have time to scream. But he did hear his dad calling out his name and felt the weird comforting presence of the now fully materialized green Dragon-type._

_He felt like he’d slept for forever, and when he woke up, it was to a crying mother, a new scar on his right temple, the smell of disinfectant, and a dad who rarely spoke to him anymore._

_That had bothered Yuuki, since Pokemon battles weren’t as fun without his dad teaching him. However, his father spent less and less time at home. His memories of his later years spent in Johto would be filled with his dad’s frowns, his mom’s worries and a house that was never as lively anymore._

_Two years later, Yuuki would decide to run away from home._

 

* * *

 

“… And that’s how I ended up here, happy?” Ruby sighed for the umpteenth time, glaring in annoyance at Courtney who only looked at him with a weirded-out expression, stabbing his straw into his half-finished cup of strawberry milkshake.

“No? There’s a huge chunk of your story missing.” He rolled his eyes, “Maxie found me wandering around in Blackthorn and we struck a deal. He brought me back here because it was mutually beneficial.”

“Mutually beneficial? What could you have that would interest Maxie? What were you doing in Blackthorn? That place is dangerous for a seven-year-old, isn’t it?” The black-haired child snorted, gesturing to the four Pokeballs that were fixed onto his belt. “My team was awesome even back then. And… I felt like if I went to Blackthorn, I would be able to find that Dragon-type Pokemon.” Courtney frowned, deep in thought. 

“Does Maxie know about this Dragon-type?” Ruby shook his head. “I didn’t want to tell him, something tells me I shouldn’t.”

“You shouldn’t tell him, no matter what.” His companion offered, a look of concern on her face. He raised an eyebrow, “Is that something an Admin of Team Magma should be saying?” The purple-haired female glared at him.

“I’m worried about you, brat, and what Maxie would do if he knew.” Her look softened, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” She reached over to ruffle his hair through his hat, ignoring his sputtering and denial.

It’s been a little more than two years since he’d landed in Hoenn, since that fateful day he decided to run away from home with nothing but his Pokemon and a bit of Pocket Dollar that he’d snitched from his mother’s purse – he missed her, so much, but there was something extremely suffocating in his home and he no longer wanted to stay there.

He had to admit, relying on Maxie to get out of Johto was not the best choice – he’d been young and stupid (well he’s still young now, but he’s no longer stupid) and was desperate to get out before his dad found him.

Luckily for him, Maxie didn’t seem to be too interested in him beyond his potential and strength as a trainer and his ability to act and find out anything from anyone quickly. Therefore, upon his arrival in Hoenn, he’d been left at the smaller Magma hideout in Lilycove in Courtney’s care, while Maxie spent most of his time in Jagged Pass. Ruby assumed it’s probably because he’s too young, and Maxie looks like the type to be absolutely horrible at dealing with children. That hadn’t – and still doesn’t – stopped the Magma leader from sending Ruby out to gather information for him. It’s amazing what people say when they don’t notice anyone around, or when they accidentally let their tongues slip in front of children because they think the youngsters wouldn’t understand.

When he turned ten – the age where most trainers started their journeys, and no one would question if he’s wandering around without supervision – he’d moved out immediately, commandeering a secret hideout of his own.

Courtney was nice enough, as far as caretakers went and despite their horrible first impressions of each other. Throughout the years, she’s slowly turned into a sister-like figure to him. It hurts to look at her at times, for he would think of his mother – whom he must have hurt very deeply by running away. Despite that, he’d bite the bullet and the pain and meet up with her every now and then – just so that she can confirm that he hadn’t gotten himself into any kind of trouble, especially while running errands for Maxie.

“Hey,” He turned his attention to the Admin as she started speaking again, “You mentioned Birch, is that…” Ruby let out a dry laugh, his exact sentiments when he found out that Sapphire and Professor Birch actually lived in Hoenn.

“Yeah, the very same.” Not that Ruby had tried to establish contact, that would only get him the speediest one-way ticket home, and he wasn’t ready – he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be ready – to face Norman just yet. 

“Wow, tough luck.” Courtney replied, a worried expression on her face. The black-haired boy shrugged.

“As long as I avoid Littleroot, there should be no problem.” Finishing the rest of his milkshake in one go. He stood up and stretched.

“Now, Maxie was talking about some updates and a new mission?” Courtney straightened, looking around for anyone listening in, before relaying the information to him in low tones.

“The Hoenn League has hired a new Gym Leader. We don’t have any information on him yet, so this is just an update. Also, Maxie would like you to find out as much as you can about Steven Stone. Apparently, Devon Corporation and the League found out about our plans, and he wants to know how much they know.” He gaped at her and she sighed in resignation.

“How and why does he think I can pull it off?” His mouth twitched, “This isn’t some nobody we’re talking about, this is Steven Stone, as in the Champion of Hoenn, the heir of Devon? Is Maxie out of his mind?”

“I told him it might be too difficult for you, and that they should leave it up to us.” His ex-caretaker looked like everything in the world was wrong – in a way, perhaps it was.

“Guh,” Ruby clicked his tongue in annoyance, “I’ll do it, don’t want the old man to think I’m incompetent or something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clear up any possible confusion, Ruby is not part of Team Magma. He might do things for them sometimes, but Maxie refuses to initiate him into the Team since he's too young (and Maxie comes across to me as the type to not like to take advantage of a child... since he looks like he has principles lmao).
> 
> The ORAS re-write (Apple of My Eye, which is a sequel to this) will be up tomorrow. I will update both concurrently, but my interests lie mostly with ORAS for now.


End file.
